Nonfiction and Information

6
Passages

Fiction is a piece of writing that tells a story that didn’t really happen
in real life—it’s fictional, made up by the author. Nonfiction, on the other
hand, refers to a piece of writing about something that did happen. History
books and biographies are nonfiction because they address actual events
and real people. Finally, informational writing refers to passages whose
purpose is to inform the reader about something. Informational passages
contain facts and figures, and include newspaper articles, business memos,
legal documents, and so on.
In this section, you will be dealing with nonfiction and information pas-
sages, such as the type you might find in a textbook. Mastering these types of
passages and their questions is important, because they are increasingly being

PURPOSE

The specific goal that the author had in writing the passage—the
reason that it was written. Some common purposes include:

to inform to entertain
to alert to persuade

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found in standardized tests. These passages are not necessarily more difficult
than the ones you’ve already covered in the earlier chapters of this book.
However, they do call more heavily for the special skill of making inferences,
of identifying implicit, as opposed to explicit, ideas stated in the text.
Remember what you’ve learned so far. Look at structure. Look for the
main idea of the passage. Consider the purpose for which the passage
was written. What clues can you deduce from the writing style about the
author’s attitude toward the subject? Is the attitude positive? Negative?
Objective? Try to pick out individual words that further each writer’s
intent and support each writer’s opinion. If it helps, underline or make
notes on important points. Active reading techniques like these will keep
you focused on some very detailed reading comprehension passages.

The answers to this section begin on page 118.

The coconut is an unusual food for many reasons. It is technically

a seed, produced by the coconut palm tree, and as such is one of
the largest edible seeds produced by any plant. Its unusual contents
also make it unique in the seed world—the interior consists of both
“meat” and “water.” The meat is the white pith with which we are all
familiar, as it is used extensively for cooking and flavorings; the coco-
nut water is a white liquid that is very sweet and thirst-quenching.
Portuguese explorers gave the nut its name in the 15th century,
referring to it as coco, meaning “ghost” in their language. The three
dimples and the hairy texture reminded them of a ghost’s face, and
the tree has retained that name ever since.
The coconut has many varied uses. It is used to make marga-
rine, as well as various cooking oils, and these cooking oils are used
by fast-food restaurants around the world to make such diet staples
as French fries. The coconut fluid is a favorite drink in hot climates,
providing a cool and refreshing beverage right off the tree. This
water is also used by manufacturers of various sports drinks because
of its isotonic electrolyte properties. Even the shell itself has many
uses, including cattle food and fertilizer.
Yet the coconut is also useful in many ways that have nothing
to do with food. Coconut oil is used for cosmetics, medicines, and
can even be used in place of diesel fuel. Dried coconut shells are used
in many countries as a tool, such as a buffer for shining wood floors.
The shells are also used for shirt buttons, and are commonly found

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on Hawaiian clothing. They are even used for musical instruments

and bird houses!
And all these are only some of the uses found for the coconut
fruit. The coconut palm tree, which produces the nut, also produces
countless useful items. It’s no wonder that the coconut palm has been
called “the tree of life.”

210. The underlined word pith, as used in the passage, most nearly
means
a. helmet.
b. hairy material.
c. black.
d. meaty substance.

211. The coconut earned the nick name “ghost” because

a. of its pale color.
b. it resembles a face.
c. it is round.
d. of its smell.

212. What is the main focus of this passage?

a. the history of coconuts
b. coconut trees have many uses
c. how cooking oil is made
d. Portuguese discoveries

213. The passage implies that

a. coconut palms are a valuable plant.
b. coconut oil is the best way to cook.
c. Portuguese explorers loved coconuts.
d. coconut palms are good shade trees.

214. Which of the following is NOT a use for the coconut palm?
a. margarine
b. buttons
c. helium balloons
d. diesel fuel

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215. The underlined word staples, as used in the passage, most nearly
means
a. fasteners.
b. plans.
c. paperwork.
d. foods.

216. The coconut palm is sometimes called “the tree of life” because
a. the Portuguese thought it cured disease.
b. nearly every part of the tree is useful to mankind.
c. it grows near the Equator.
d. of its green color.

Saving energy means saving money. Homeowners and renters know

this basic fact, but they often don’t know what kinds of adjustments
they can make in their homes and apartments that will result in savings.
For those willing to spend some time and money to reap long-
term energy savings, an energy audit is the way to go. An energy audi-
tor will come into your home and assess its energy efficiency. The
auditor will pinpoint areas of your home that use the most energy and
offer solutions to lower your energy use and costs. Trained energy
auditors know what to look for and can locate a variety of flaws that
may be resulting in energy inefficiency, including inadequate insula-
tion, construction flaws, and uneven heat distribution.
There are quicker and less costly measures that can be taken as
well. One way to save money is to replace incandescent lights with
fluorescents. This can result in a savings of more than 50% on your
monthly lighting costs.
When it’s time to replace old appliances, it’s wise to spend a bit
more for an energy-efficient model, and be sure that you are taking
advantage of energy-saving settings already on your current refrig-
erator, dishwasher, washing machine, or dryer.
Windows provide another opportunity to cut your energy costs.
Caulk old windows that might be leaky to prevent drafts, and choose
double-paned windows if you’re building an addition or replacing
old windows.
Most areas of your home or apartment offer opportunities to
save energy and money. The results are significant and are well worth
the effort.

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217. Which two main organizational schemes can be identified in this

passage?
a. hierarchical order and order by topic
b. order by topic and cause and effect
c. hierarchical order and chronological order
d. chronological order and compare and contrast

218. Which of the following ideas is NOT included in this passage?

a. You can reduce your $130 monthly lighting costs to $65 by
using fluorescent bulbs instead of incandescent.
b. Double-paned windows can cut energy costs.
c. Your local energy company will send an energy auditor at your
request.
d. Some appliances have energy-saving settings.

219. Which of the following best expresses the main idea of this passage?
a. There are many things a homeowner or renter can do to save
energy and money.
b. Hiring an energy auditor will save energy and money.
c. Homeowners and renters don’t know what they can do to save
energy and money.
d. Replacing windows and light bulbs are well worth the effort
and cost.

220. According to the passage, which of the following would an energy

auditor NOT do?
a. Check for construction flaws.
b. Look for problems with heat distribution.
c. Offer solutions to lower your energy costs.
d. Locate a variety of flaws that may result in energy inefficiency
and fix them.

221. According the passage, double-paned windows

a. are energy efficient.
b. should only be used as replacement windows.
c. should only be used in new additions to homes.
d. will lower your heating costs by 50%.

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Book clubs are a great way to meet new friends or keep in touch
with old ones, while keeping up on your reading and participating in
lively and intellectually stimulating discussions. If you’re interested
in starting a book club, you should consider the following options
and recommendations.
The first thing you’ll need are members. Before recruiting,
think carefully about how many people you want to participate and
also what the club’s focus will be. For example, some book clubs focus
exclusively on fiction, others read nonfiction. Some are even more
specific, focusing only on a particular genre such as mysteries, science
fiction, or romance. Others have a more flexible and open focus. All
of these possibilities can make for a great club, but it is important to
decide on a focus at the outset so the guidelines will be clear to the
group and prospective member.
After setting the basic parameters, recruitment can begin.
Notify friends and family, advertise in the local newspaper, and hang
flyers on bulletin boards in local stores, colleges, libraries, and book-
stores. When enough people express interest, schedule a kick-off
meeting during which decisions will be made about specific guide-
lines that will ensure the club runs smoothly. This meeting will need
to establish where the group will meet (rotating homes or a public
venue such as a library or coffee shop); how often the group will
meet, and on what day of the week and at what time; how long the
meetings will be; how books will be chosen and by whom; who will
lead the group (if anyone); and whether refreshments will be served
and if so, who will supply them. By the end of this meeting, these
guidelines should be set and a book selection and date for the first
official meeting should be finalized.
Planning and running a book club is not without challenges, but
when a book club is run effectively, the experience can be extremely
rewarding for everyone involved.

222. Which of the following organizational patterns is the main one

used in the passage?
a. chronological
b. hierarchical
c. comparison-contrast
d. cause and effect

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